An Ounce Of Prevention
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: Strange happenings lead Piper and her sisters to a startling and terrifying conclusion. Someone or something is trying to cause Piper to have a miscarriage.
1. Default Chapter

CHARMED "An Ounce Of Prevention"  
by J. B. Tilton

email: G

Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.

(Authors note: This story takes place between season 5 episodes "Happily Ever After" and "Siren Song")

Strange happenings lead Piper and her sisters to a startling and terrifying conclusion. Someone or something is trying to cause Piper to have a miscarriage.

ONE

Phoebe waited patiently as the pharmacists' assistant got the prescription for her. Piper's morning sickness prevented her from filling the prescription herself. But her doctor was insistent that she needed the prescription to prevent possible complications later on.

"There you go," said Stanley, the pharmacists' assistant, handing Phoebe the bag. "Sorry it took so long. We're kind of backed up here."

"Not a problem, Stanley," said Phoebe. "I appreciate your taking the time to take care of this for me."

"My pleasure," said Stanley. "How's Piper doing? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so familiar. But we've been filling your prescriptions for so long I kind of feel like I know all of you."

"That's okay," said Phoebe, smiling. "I guess in a way you do. And she's doing fine. Except for the morning sickness."

"That should take care of everything," said Stanley.

"How long before you take your test to become a pharmacist?" asked Phoebe?

"Six months," said Stanley. "Once I do I can help my dad dispense the medication instead of just bagging them up for him."

"Good Luck," said Phoebe, "Just do your best on the test. Wouldn't want you to inadvertently make a mistake in someone's medication."

Stanley just stared at her. He had suddenly turned white as a sheet.

"Sorry, it was just a joke," said Phoebe. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Oh, yeah," said Stanley. "I guess I'm just more nervous about it than I thought. The tests are pretty rigorous."

"So you've told me," said Phoebe. "I'll tell Piper you asked about her."

"Thanks again," said Stanley. "Have a good day."

"You too," said Phoebe.

"Got your prescription," said Phoebe coming into the manor. "And Stanley asked about you."

"Stanley?" questioned Piper.

"The pharmacists son," said Phoebe. "You remember him. He's the one who usually gives us the prescriptions after his dad has filled them."

"Oh, yeah," said Piper, "I remember. He's a sweet boy."

"Yeah, he is," said Phoebe, handing the bag to Piper. "He's about to take his test for his pharmacists license."

"Did you wish him luck?" asked Piper.

"Of course," said Phoebe. "I'm sure he'll do fine. He's really very smart."

"Leo's out with another one of his charges," said Piper. "Think I'll go to bed early. Maybe this prescription will stop the morning sickness tomorrow. I'll sure be glad when this phase passes."

"So will Leo," snickered Phoebe.

"Okay," said Piper. "I'm going to take one of these pills and go to bed. I don't want to be disturbed unless the Source attacks."

"But we vanquished the Source," said Phoebe. "Three times in fact."

"I know," said Piper as she left the kitchen. 


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

Leo's healing power didn't seem to be having an effect. Piper was still experiencing severe cramps and nausea. She had been awakened in the middle of the night with abdominal pain like she had never experienced before.

"Something's wrong with the baby," she cried through tears. "Leo, we have to do something."

Without hesitation Leo orbed them out of the bedroom. They appeared in another bedroom, the lights all off, a woman asleep in the bed.

"Ana?" cried Leo loudly. "Ana wake up. Piper's in trouble."

The woman came awake and sat up in bed. She looked over at the clock.

"Leo?" she questioned. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Piper's in trouble," cried Leo. "My healing power doesn't seem to be helping. You have to do something."

Just then Piper doubled over from another cramp. She called out in pain loudly. Ana jumped out of the bed and flipped on the light.

"Get her on the bed," she ordered.

Leo picked up Piper and laid her on the bed as Ana got her medical bad from the corner.

"What happened?" asked Ana.

"I don't know," said Leo. "She just woke up screaming in pain. When my healing power didn't work, I didn't know what to do. So I orbed her here."

"Good thing you did," said Ana, dropping her stethoscope. "The baby's in some kind of distress. Is Piper taking any medicine besides what I prescribed for her?"

"Not that I know of," said Leo. "But to be honest, I really have no idea what she's taking."

"Get back to the house and bring me anything she's taken in the last 48 hours," said Ana. "I'll do what I can for her."

Leo orbed out and appeared in their bedroom. Phoebe and Paige were standing in the doorway looking around.

"Leo, what's going on?" asked Paige. "We thought we heard screaming."

"Piper's in trouble," said Leo. "I orbed her to Ana's. I need any medicine she's taken in the last two days"

"She keeps it all in here," said Phoebe, rushing to the bathroom. She swung open the door to the medicine cabinet and pulled out three bottles of prescription pills. "These are all of her prescriptions."

"Bring even the non prescription stuff," said Leo. "Ana seemed to think some kind of medicine might be responsible."

Just then Paige came into the room. She was carrying an empty bag.

"Here," she said. "We can carry them in this."

Phoebe scooped all of the bottles out of the cabinet into the bag. She had no idea what Piper might have taken in the last couple of days, so she took everything. She turned to Leo and Paige.

"Let's go," she said.

Leo orbed them back to Ana's. When they arrived, Piper seemed to be sleeping peacefully on the bed. Ana was looking through a book.

"Here," said Leo, taking the bag from Phoebe, and handing it to the doctor, "here's everything that was in the medicine cabinet. How is she?'

"She's fine now," said Ana. "I gave her a mild sedative to help her sleep. But the crisis is passed."

"What happened?" asked Phoebe.

"She started spotting," said Ana, "It appears to have been in the beginning of a spontaneous abortion."

"A what?" Leo asked.

"Spontaneous abortion," repeated Ana. "It happens sometimes. The woman's body will abort the pregnancy. It's passed now, thank goodness. But I have to find the cause so we can prevent another episode."

"So you were able to stop it?" asked Phoebe.

"I wish I could take the credit for it," said Ana. "The truth is the baby stopped it. That's one powerful child you're going to have there Leo."

"So we keep finding out," said Leo.

"Piper is fine for the moment," said Ana. "But I need to find out what caused it. Until I do, she's in danger of it happening again. And next time we might not be so fortunate." 


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

"I don't understand," said Leo. "Piper is so careful with the baby. How could something like this happen?"

"Calm down Leo" said Phoebe. "I'm sure Ana will get to the bottom of this. Piper is okay for now. Good thing you orbed her here when you did."

"We'll do everything we can to help," said Paige.

"No wonder," said Ana, looking through one of her books.

"What?" Leo asked. "Did you find something?"

"This," said Ana, holding up a prescription bottle.

"That's Piper's morning sickness medicine," said Phoebe. "I just got that for her yesterday."

"Where did you have it filled?" asked Ana.

"Thompson pharmacy on 10th street," said Phoebe. "That's where we get all of our prescriptions filled."

"I send a lot of patients there," said Ana. "They're usually very good."

"What do you mean?" asked Paige.

"I prescribed telemiacin", said Ana, holding up the bottle. "That's what the label says is in here. Telemiacin is used to control morning sickness.

"But the pills are actually metiamphidioxin. It's a used to control high blood pressure. The two look extremely similar. But they work completely different. Metiamphidioxin is known to cause miscarriages. No pharmacist would make such a serious mistake, especially Carl Thompson."

"Are you sure?" asked Phoebe. "If they're similar, isn't it possible a pharmacist might make a mistake."

"No," said Ana, "Pharmacists actually know more about drugs than doctors do. They wouldn't have made this kind of mistake."

"You think it was deliberate?" asked Leo.

"That's hard to believe of Cal Thompson," said Ana. "I've known him for years."

"Maybe it was deliberate," said Paige. "Ana said the baby is going to be a very powerful child. We've known that for a long time. And it's not exactly a state secret."

"Are you suggesting demonic involvement?" asked Ana.

"It wouldn't take much for a demon or warlock to get into the pharmacy," said Paige. "They could easily switch the drugs. Or cause the pharmacist to switch them without realizing it."

"She's right," said Piper, sitting up on the bed.

"How do you feel?" asked Leo, sitting next to her.

"Better," said Piper. "Thanks for everything Ana."

"Your baby did most of it," said Ana.

"Paige is right," said Piper. "If a demon or warlock wanted to get rid of the baby it wouldn't be hard for them to get the pharmacist to switch the prescriptions. An innocent wouldn't be able to resist them."

"Well, from now on," said Ana, "bring the prescriptions to me after they're filled. I'll check and make sure they're the right drugs before you take them. That should prevent a recurrence of this."

"In the meantime," said Phoebe, "we need to see if we can figure out who may want to terminate Pipers' pregnancy."

"Well that narrows it down to any demon or warlock who's ever heard of us," said Paige.

"I'd better get Piper home," said Leo.

"I'll give you another prescription for the telemiacin," said Ana. "Like I said, bring it to me before you take any of it. I want to make sure it's the right stuff before you take it."

"I'll get it filled," said Phoebe. "I'm sure Stanley won't mind taking care of it for me. He's usually very helpful. I'll stop by your clinic on my way home."

"Don't mention anything about the switch," said Ana. "There's no sense in upsetting Carl needlessly. Just tell him you dropped them in a puddle of water or something."

"Okay," said Phoebe. "Stanley is nervous enough as it is with his test coming up. If this is the work of a demon or warlock, I don't want him worrying needlessly."

"Piper, if anything happens, I don't care how minor it might seem," said Ana, "I want you to come see me immediately. Have Leo orb you in again if you have to. We were very lucky this time. I don't want to take any unnecessary chances."

"Yes mother," mocked Piper.

"Get out of here," laughed Ana. "Get some rest."

Leo orbed the sisters back to the manor. 


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

"Ana says these are the right pills," said Phoebe, dropping the bag in Piper's lap.

"Good," said Piper, taking the bottle out of the bag. "Did you have much trouble filling the prescription?"

"No," said Phoebe. "I just told Mr. Thompson I had left the other prescription in a cab. He was glad to refill it for me."

"Stanley wasn't there?" asked Piper.

"No," said Phoebe. "Its his day off. Where are Leo and Paige?"

"Leo had to check on one of his charges," said Piper. "In Russia, no less. Paige went to get some potion ingredients."

"I need to get to work," said Phoebe. "Are you going to be okay by yourself?"

"I think so," said Piper. "If anything happens I can always call for Leo. Besides, if someone is after the baby it doesn't seem that a front on encounter is what they want. Leo or Paige will be back in a couple of hours. I have some water on for tea. I'm going to have a cup of tea and then I'm going to take a nap."

"Okay, honey," said Phoebe. "I'll have my cell of if you need me."

Phoebe got her keys and left for work. The two had been so intent on their conversation that neither had heard any movement in the kitchen. Neither did they see a furtive figure pour a colorless liquid into the teapot sitting on the stove. Silently, the figure slipped out the back door and hid in the bushes in the backyard.

Piper went into the kitchen, when the teakettle began whistling. She poured the water into a cup on the table. After waiting several moments to let it cool she sipped the tea. She sat drinking her tea as she thought about the events of the previous night.

Suddenly she yawned. She hadn't realized she was so tired. Last night must have worn her out more than she realized. She put the cup in the sink intent on washing it later. The she went up to her and Leo's room to take a quick nap.

As she climbed the stairs, the figure in the bushes slipped on the back porch. Quietly it moved into the house and across the kitchen. It watched as Piper climbed the stairs, yawning again. Then it quietly slipped into the cellar.

"Piper," called Paige, coming into the house, "I couldn't get everything on the list. The store was out of..."

Her voice trailed off as she smelled the scent that hung heavy in the air.

"Gas," she said, "Leo? Leo, get down here."

"What is it?" he asked orbing in. "I was..."

His sentence went unfinished as he smelled the gas.

"Where's Piper?" Leo asked fear in his voice.

"I don't know," said Paige. "I just got home."

"Get the doors and windows open," ordered Leo.

Paige opened the front door and headed for the living room as Leo orbed out. When Paige moved to the kitchen, she saw Leo on the back porch, holding Piper in his lap. She was coughing and trying to catch her breath, Paige hurried out the back door.

"Are you okay?" asked Paige as Piper sat up.

"Yeah, I think so," said Piper, still coughing. "If Leo hadn't orbed me out of the bedroom...

"Thank Paige," said Leo, "If she hadn't come home when she did, I wouldn't have known you were in any danger. I'd better get you to Ana so she can check you over.

"I'm okay," said Piper. "I just need some air."

"Nonsense," said Paige. "Let Ana look you over. Let's make sure the gas didn't hurt the baby."

"Okay," said Piper, "just give me a few minutes to catch my breath first."

"Paige, watch her," said Leo. "I need to check on something."

Paige put an arm around Piper as Leo orbed out.

"What happened?" asked Piper.

"I don't know,' said Paige. "I got home from shopping and the house was full of gas. I called for Leo and I guess he found you in the bedroom.

"Yeah, I laid down for a nap," said Piper. "I guess the pilot light went out on the furnace. That's why the house was filled with gas."

"It didn't go out," said Leo, orbing back in. "I just checked it. Someone put out the pilot light and turned the gas on full. This wasn't an accident. Someone tried to murder you." 


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

"Well, there doesn't seem to be any permanent affects from the gas," said Ana. "Piper and the baby are fine. Once she gets some rest she'll be as good as new."

"Thanks Ana," said Leo. "I appreciate all the help. We must be coming pests by now."

"Not at all," said Ana. "That's what I'm here for."

"Leo," said Phoebe, "are you sure this wasn't an accident?"

"Positive," said Leo. "I cleaned and checked the furnace just last week. The only way the pilot could have gone out accidentally, was if a strong gust of wind blew it out. There's no wind in the cellar.

"Also, Piper sleeps with the bedroom window open. She says it helps with the nausea from the morning sickness. When I found her unconscious, the window was closed and locked."

"Leo's right," said Piper. "The fresh air from the open window makes me less nauseous in the morning. Before I laid down for my nap, I made sure the window was open."

"It appears," said Ana, "that someone is out to get your baby."

"Maybe they're after Piper," said Paige. "To break up the Power Of Three."

"I'm not so sure," said Ana.

"What do you mean?" asked Leo.

"The metiamphidioxin Piper's prescription was switched with," said Ana. "Piper wouldn't have been in much danger from it. The only danger was to the baby. And asphyxiation from gas is really not that common. It does happen, but usually someone discovers it in time and the victim is revived. But it could have been a much different story for the baby if Paige hadn't come home when she did."

"Everything seems to point to someone after the baby," said Leo.

"If this wasn't an accident," said Ana, "then the medication getting switched probably wasn't either. I still can't believe Carl Thompson had anything to do with it. Not consciously, anyway. There must be a demon or warlock behind it as you said. Someone who caused him to switch the medicines without realizing it."

"Then we'd better find out who it is and put a stop to them right away," said Phoebe. "If they try enough times, eventually they'll succeed."

"From now on," said Leo, "someone has to be with Piper all the time. She can't be left alone for a minute."

"I'll check around," said Ana. "Maybe I can find someone who's capable of doing this."

"Thanks," said Leo. "It's getting late. I'd better get them home."

Leo orbed the sisters into the kitchen of the Manor. Piper picked up the teakettle to make more tea.

"Well, all we have to do is go through a few hundred demons and warlocks to find out who's doing this," said Paige. "That's sounds like a lot of fun."

"I wonder," said Phoebe.

"What is it honey?" asked Piper.

"Does it really sound like a demon or warlock?" asked Phoebe. "There haven't been any magical attacks. Anyone could have switched the medicines and turned on the gas. It doesn't sound like something a demon or warlock would do."

"They might if they wanted it to look like an accident," said Leo.

"Maybe," said Phoebe. "But if they could get it into the bedroom to close the window while Piper was asleep there, why not use the magic to cause a miscarriage? Or arrange an accident? Like breaking her neck and putting her at the bottom of the stairs to make it look like she fell down the stairs? Why turn on the gas when it's possible that someone might come home and save Piper?"

"You think this might be an innocent?" Paige asked.

Before she could answer, a figure stepped into the doorway from the living room. Stanley Thompson looked at the four, holding a pistol in his shaking hand.

"No one move," he said. "I don't want to hurt anyone I don't have to." 


	6. Chapter 6

SIX

"Stanley," said Phoebe, "What's going on?"

"I didn't want it to be like this," said Stanley. "Those pills should have caused a miscarriage. When they didn't I figured the gas would. Now I don't have any choice.

"Piper, I'm sorry, I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. This should have been so easy. But now I have to do it the hard way."

"Stanley," said Leo, taking a step toward him," why don't you put the gun down? We can talk about this."

"Don't," said Stanley, pointing the gun at Leo. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to."

"Stanley," said Piper, "tell us what this is about. Maybe we can help."

"You can't," said Stanley. "No one can but me. I don't want to do this but I don't have a choice."

"Stanley listen," began Phoebe.

Suddenly she stiffened and closed her eyes. She watched as a premonition showed Darryl breaking through the front door. Stanley turned and Darryl, seeing the gun, shot Stanley three time in the chest.

"Darryl's outside the front door," said Phoebe.

Stanley involuntarily turned and looked at the front door.

"Gun," said Paige holding up her hand.

The gun orbed out of Stanley's hand and appeared in Paige's hand. She turned and stuck the pistol in a drawer behind her.

"What the?" stammered Stanley, "How... how did you do that?"

Suddenly the front door burst open and Darryl stepped inside. He pointed his pistol at Stanley.

"San Francisco Police Department," announced Darryl. "Don't move."

Stanley turned toward Darryl.

"No," screamed Phoebe, holding up her hands. "Its okay. He's a friend."

Darryl looked at Stanley, then at Phoebe. After a minute, he put his pistol away."

:"But I thought," began Darryl, confused. "I just stopped in to see how Piper was doing. I saw him through the front room window. I could have sworn he was holding a gun on you."

"Gun?" asked Phoebe innocently, "I don't see a gun. Anyone see a gun?"

'Oh, uh, it was probably this," said Piper, holding up the teakettle in her hand. "Stanley, uh, got it out of the living room for me. Must have been a trick of the light."

"A trick of the light?" questioned Darryl.

"Yeah sure," said Leo. "A strange reflection or something."

"Okay," said Darryl, "I guess that's possible. Sorry about the front door."

"Not a problem," said Piper, 'Leo can fix that easily."

"Oh yeah," said Leo, "Piece of cake."

"Just a trick of the light?" questioned Darryl.

"What else?" asked Paige, "Do you see a gun?"

"No," said Darryl.

"Well there you go," said Paige

"Well, it seems you're okay," said Darryl.

"We're fine," said Piper. "We were just about to sit down to dinner. Want to join us?"

"Can't", said Darryl. "I'm still on duty. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by for a minute."

"Rain check, then," said Phoebe.

"Yeah okay," said Darryl confused.

"I don't understand," said Stanley after Darryl had left. "Why didn't you turn me in?"

"Tell you what," said Phoebe, taking Stanley's arm, "let's go into the living room and you can tell us what's going on. And why you're trying to hurt Piper's baby." 


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

"Honestly, Piper," said Stanley in the living room, "I never wanted to hurt you or your baby."

"Then why did you switch the medicine?" asked Leo, "And why the gas?"

"I didn't have a choice, "said Stanley, "I had to do something?"

"Why?" Paige asked.

"You won't believe me," said Stanley. "No one ever does. Not even my dad believes me."

"Oh we might surprise you," said Piper.

"You'll think I'm crazy," said Stanley.

"Try us," said Phoebe.

"Okay," said Stanley, "I can see the future."

Everyone just looked at each other.

"See, said Stanley, "I told you that you wouldn't believe me. I knew you'd think I was crazy."

"On the contrary," said Phoebe. "We do believe you."

"You do?" asked Stanley, "Really? You're not just yanking my chain?"

"No Stanley, we aren't," said Phoebe. "You and I have something in common. We believe you because I can see the future, too. That's how I knew Darryl was on the front porch."

"And how you had a premonition without touching anything," said Leo. "The proximity of your two powers enhanced yours."

"What does that have to do with me?" Piper asked. "Or my baby? And why would you want to stop me from having her?"

"I had a vision of her," said Stanley, "I saw her destroy the world."

"What?" Phoebe asked, "When?"

"A couple of weeks ago when Piper refilled one of her prescriptions."

"If he really does have premonitions," said Leo, "this could be serious. I need to check with the, uh, some older people about this. I'll use the kitchen.

Leo went to the kitchen to orb to the Elders about Stanley's premonitions.

"Okay Stanley," said Phoebe. "Start from the beginning."

"Well," said Stanley, "I've had the ability as long as I can remember. Like I said, when I tell people they think I'm, crazy."

"I know how that is," said Phoebe.

"I can't really control it," said Stanley. "It just kind of happens when I touch someone or something."

"The psychic impression left by people triggers it," said Phoebe. "That's how mine works too. And I can't control it either."

"Well," continued Stanley, "a couple of weeks ago Piper refilled a prescription. When I took the money from her, I had one of my visions. I saw your daughter all grown up. She's going to have some kind of powers, like her," he glanced over at Paige. "In this vision she was fighting some guy with powers too. He was dressed all in black and had a goatee. She beat him and he just burned up."

The sisters looked at each other. What Stanley had just described was a fight with a warlock. A fight that Piper's daughter obviously won.

"That can't be all of it," said Piper. "What makes you think she'll destroy the world?"

"I saw it," said Stanley. "After my dad filled the prescription, I handed you the package. When you touched it I had another vision. This time I saw a city in ruins. Everywhere you looked there was desolation. The sky was all red and clouded over.

"I know enough about nuclear weapons to know what a nuclear winter is. And I may not be able to control my visions, but I can add things up. And this only added up one way.

"Your daughter kills this man and that somehow causes the end of the world. 


	8. Chapter 8

EIGHT

"No wonder you thought you had to do something," said Paige.

"Especially since no one's ever believed me," said Stanley. "I switched the pills hoping you'd have a miscarriage and just think it was an accident. When that didn't work, I drugged your tea and turned on the gas. After that failed, I didn't think I had any other choice, I got my dad's gun and came over here. The rest, you know."

"Stanley," said Phoebe, "the thing about premonitions is that they aren't always clear. Sometimes what we think they mean isn't what they mean at all."

"What else could they mean?" asked Stanley. "She kills this guy then the world ends. The only thing it could mean is that by killing him, she causes the end of the world.

"Unless you've had two different premonitions," said Leo coming in from the kitchen.

"How did your conversation with those older people go?" asked Piper.

"Fine," said Leo. "Apparently Stanley was innocently born with precognition just like Phoebe."

"I understand," said Piper.

"Only he's misunderstood them," said Leo. "Stanley, what's happened is that you seem to have had two possible premonitions of the future. One was of our daughter fighting an evil man who had powers like you described. What you saw was her defeating that man."

"What about the other one?" Stanley asked. "The one where the earth had been destroyed?"

"That's another possible future," said Leo. "What might happen if she doesn't defeat this man."

"I don't understand," said Stanley, "How could they both be true?"

"The future is always in motion," said Phoebe. "Unlike the past, everything we do changes the future. Since Piper's daughter was full-grown in your vision, it won't happen for a long time. Which means that right now either vision could come true. You only see what might happen, just as I do."

"So what now?" asked Stanley. "I tried to kill you three times. I guess you'll be calling your police friend back now."

"What you did was wrong," said Piper, "but you did it for the right reasons. If you promise never to do anything like that again, I suppose we can overlook it this time."

"Oh, I promise, I promise," said Stanley. "I've never done anything like that before and I didn't like doing it this time. I just wish I hadn't been born with this curse."

"Don't ever think that," said Phoebe. "It's not a curse. It's a wonderful gift that you can use to help other people with. Once you understand it. Come on, I'll give you a ride home and we'll talk about it"

"Okay," said Stanley.

"Stanley," said Piper, as he and Phoebe got ready to leave. "I want you to make me a promise. Promise me that if you have any more premonitions like this you'll come talk to us before you do anything."

"I promise," said Stanley. "It's nice to know there's someone I can talk to about it now. I don't feel like I'm all alone in this anymore."

"Good," said Piper. "And good luck on your test."

"Thanks," he said.

He and Phoebe went out to the car so Phoebe could take him home. 


	9. Chapter 9

NINE

"So he was just an innocent born with precognition?" Paige asked.

"That's what the Elders said," Leo said.

"An innocent who didn't understand his gift," added Phoebe. "We had a nice long talk. I think he understands it better now."

"Piper," said Paige, "You were pretty understanding. Considering he tried to kill you and your baby."

"I couldn't be mad at him," said Piper "He seemed to be in pain over what he was trying to do. I just couldn't believe he was being malicious. Besides he wasn't trying to hurt the baby as much as protect the innocent. That's what we do. How could I be mad at someone like that?"

"Still," said Leo, "no one would have blamed you if you had been angry."

"I still remember what it was like when we first got our powers," said Piper. "How confusing and unpredictable it was. I guess I empathized with him."

"At least we don't have to sort through all the demons and warlocks," said Phoebe, "I was not looking forward to that."

"Neither was I," said Paige.

"Stanley wanted me to tell you again how sorry he was for what he did," said Phoebe.

"He's a really sweet boy," said Piper. "Oh God."

"What is it honey?" asked Leo.

"I suddenly feel so old," said Piper. "When did I become so old that a nineteen year old seems like a boy?"

"Since you got married and pregnant," said Phoebe. "Kind of changes your perspective on things."

"It seems like only yesterday we were running around the house," said Piper. "And Grams was always saying 'girls, no running in the house.' "

"Which, of course, we never listened to," laughed Phoebe.

"Hey, guys," said Paige, a coy look on her face, "you know what girls really are?"

"What?" Leo asked.

"It's what women over forty call each other," giggled Paige.

"That is so lame," said Piper as Leo and Phoebe just groaned at the joke.

The End

If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories at my website, You can also post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


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